Medicinal Cannabis Patients

A major benefit of having a union is that your rights are protected in a legal union contract, also known as a collective agreement. Union representatives negotiate the contract with the employer.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Labour laws guarantee that workers with a union have a formal complaint process, with spelled-out steps and time limits, called a grievance procedure. If, in the end, the problem cannot be resolved, an independent arbitrator will listen to both sides and decide who is right.

Labour laws guarantee that collective agreements include other basic rights for both workers and management. The details of union contracts differ, depending upon the workplace and upon the degree of strength and resolve on both sides.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER TOPICS COVERED IN UNION CONTRACTS:

JOB POSTING

New jobs and job openings must be posted at the workplace so that people who already work for the employer have an opportunity for promotion.

JOB SECURITY

Union contracts usually give long-time workers an advantage when it comes to job opportunities.

If the employer is laying off workers, he can't play favourites but must follow the rules set out in the collective agreement. Contracts outline recall rights so that when business improves, those on lay-off are called back before any new employees are hired.

WAGES

Wages for each job are set out in the contract. This ensures that people who do the same work are paid the same. Any negotiated wage increases are listed in the contract so workers know what they're getting in the future.

BENEFITS

Contracts include a list of the benefits the employer must provide, for example, a prescription drug plan, a dental plan, sick benefits, life insurance and usually some kind of pension plan.

Like the wages, these benefits are protected - the employer can't reduce them as long as the contract is in effect.

SCHEDULING & HOURS OF WORK

The collective agreement sets out what the shifts, hours of work and overtime payments are. Union contracts aim for a clear set of rules that cover the scheduling of work and overtime hours. This reduces the power of supervisors to play favourites.

NO DISCRIMINATION

Collective agreements aim for a workplace environment where all workers are treated fairly and equally. They set out a process for dealing with all forms of harassment, and that protects workers' right to complain without penalty.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Most contracts require that there be a health and safety committee of employer and worker-representatives that can deal with improving health and safety at work. Workers' right to refuse hazardous or unsafe work is described and guaranteed.

Union contracts are more than improvements we can negotiate for today. Having a union gives workers the opportunity to plan for the long term, to aim for a better future for ourselves and our families. We aim for contracts that bring shorter work time through more vacation leave or shorter work-weeks, contracts with paid union-education leave and extended maternity and paternity leave, contracts with employer-paid child care, contracts that let us look forward to a good pension when it's time to retire, and more!